The Teacher's Motives

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 8, 1908

The Teacher's Motives

“Why am I teaching? What are the motives underlying my work?” are questions which each teacher may well ask himself. No teacher succeeds best in his work unless his motives are pure and his ideals lofty. It is easy to enter the work of teaching without due comprehension of the underlying processes. No greater work is given an individual than teaching. Christ might have pressed his work through many different avenues than that of a teacher, but he chose this one. Teaching is a gift of God, and it ranks high among his gifts. The true motive of a teacher is not a pecuniary one; money is necessary, but it is far from the chief thing in the work of a teacher. The most precious gems of all the earth are given into the teacher's hands, that he may assist in polishing and refining them to shine as diamonds in the crown of the Saviour's glory throughout all eternity.

Many persons make teaching a stepping-stone to some other work. While it is true that every day's duties, and every line of work in which we may be engaged should be but a stepping-stone to higher and broader usefulness, yet we should not regard any work in itself as a stepping-stone. We should recognize that each work has a completeness and a fulness, and that it demands the most thorough and effective effort on our part. If this be our motive, we are not likely to enter upon our work unprepared, nor are we likely to be careless with it. We are led to realize that every question which we ask has a direct effect upon the character of the pupil, that the very tone of our voice has its influence, that the very carriage of our body, and, in fact, everything that we do, teaches that which is helpful or the opposite. Many teachers are found in schools without the proper motive, and none of us can too often inquire into our purposes for work for the Master.